Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 116

Chapter 116: Though the Army Hears of Clumsy Haste, It Has Yet to See True Skill
  Dating back to the initial development of the giant knights, the feud between Nina Valer and Heisel Ballenstein, who belongs to the Imperial Faction, seems to be nearing a resolution through talks involving neighboring countries. The Zephyrus Domain soldiers marching through the granary zone near the city have a somewhat lighter step.
  
  The members of the Knight Kingdom positioned behind them also have a slightly relaxed atmosphere, mainly among the non-combatant transport and maintenance personnel.
  
  “…I don’t like it. The possibility of another battle hasn’t been eliminated yet.”
  “Everyone wants to avoid a fight between humans, Vice-Captain.”
  
  Raizes’s displeased mutterings are met with a wry smile from Cavalry Captain Aldo, his trusted confidant, who rides up beside him to deflect any potential backlash. Belphegor’s pseudo-eyeballs capture this exchange, and I nod in agreement as I walk my dual-seater knight.
  
  “I don’t particularly want to cut anyone down, nor do I want to make anyone do it.”
  “Hmm, could it be that you regret coming to the Knight Kingdom?”
  
  “No, it was a stroke of luck that the first person I met was Revia.”
  “Ooh… Somehow, hearing you say it so frankly makes me blush.”
  
  Her slightly excited voice, along with the emotions conveyed through the nerve nodes of the artificial muscles wrapped around her body, transmits the red-haired mage’s goodwill towards me, leaving me a bit flustered.
  
  While there’s Izana, who I have a deep connection with due to our shared fate, the fact that we both have feelings for each other is an open secret thanks to our sensory sharing.
  
  ‘I wonder if I need to make my stance clear somewhere… or not…’
  
  The understanding black-haired maiden, my companion, jokes that it’s fine since we’re childhood friends who know each other well. However, many things remain unclear, like the actions of Sariel, her bodyguard and older sister figure, and the paternal feelings of Blaze, the Chief Magician who also serves as Prime Minister, towards his only daughter.
  
  Furthermore, since Lady Lumias is managing our ancestral territory in my absence, it would be proper to inform her as well, even if it’s only through letters.
  
  As I ponder these things while connected to the knight, my emotional nuances are perceptible to Revia, making it inevitable that we delve deeper into the complexities of romance.
  
  “Hehe, it makes me really happy that you think about these things seriously♪”
  “You’re always supporting me, so I can’t treat you carelessly.”
  
  Thus, as I sigh inwardly at this difficult problem, a report comes in from the Japanese attendant soldier in charge of communications on the airship “Zeppelin Count” floating ahead, via the shared channel of the Telepathy Device.
  『To everyone in the Knight Kingdom, we have an unexpected situation. Observation soldiers with binoculars have confirmed multiple giant shadows within the walls of Leipzig. They appeared suddenly and are walking freely through the city. Judging by their behavior, they are likely large-type Aberrations belonging to the “Hour of Ruin.”』
  
  『There are quite a few of them, Claude-dono. It would be foolish to advance our forces without a clear understanding of the situation. I’ll have us wait and see until one of our scouts returns.』
  
  Following the decision of the young lady, Aynst, who abandoned his heavily damaged Begalta L-type at the battlefield and switched to a later production model of the modified Clawsolas, leads the forces to a halt from the front.
  
  As we in the rear were about to follow suit, we spotted smoke signals about 2 km ahead in the sky, likely sent by our own forces through multiple relays.
  
  
  『Red, huh… It’s not something to be happy about, but it’s confirmed, Onii-sama.』
  『Well, it’s less of a mental burden than facing Rigsia soldiers.』
  
  『Yeah, if they’re monsters that kill people, I can shoot them without hesitation.』
  『I’ll count on you. Don’t push yourself too hard, though.』
  
  The silver-haired, blue-eyed knight shrugs as he makes lighthearted remarks to his somewhat gloomy younger sister and mage, Eleia. He then turns a gentle gaze towards Kotono’s mount, who has been feeling dejected since the battle near the small city.
  
  Of course, since I’m observing through the pseudo-eyeballs of my silver-gray knight, it doesn’t reach the black-haired, ponytailed girl. However, as a descendant of a warrior family that served as the Knight King Shugen’s personal guard, Lloyd has a strong sense of kinship with the Yamato people.
  
  It’s not a warped sense of racial superiority, but rather a matter of personal preference. However, his devoted younger sister seems to have some dissatisfaction with it… She discreetly furrows her brows.
  
  『Bringing personal feelings into the battlefield is something only amateurs do. You shouldn’t spoil her.』
  『She should know that better than anyone, so there’s no need to rub it in.』
  
  『Ugh, your words hit home…』
  『Hmm, it’s alright. Kotono and I are doing our best.』
  
  Iris, who is in charge of controlling the Svel S-type’s first unit, immediately steps in to support Eleia and subtly praises herself while encouraging her. Dino, who pilots the modified Guardia Clawsolas at the vanguard of the expeditionary force, ignores this exchange and comments on the current situation.
  
  『Why are Aberrations appearing deep within the Empire’s territory? If it were a small force that broke through the western front and snuck in, that would be one thing. But a force capable of taking over a city? That’s strange, isn’t it?』
  
  『Hmm, summoning magic is a possibility, but it requires considerable preparation, and they would be interrupted by the full force of the territorial army.』
  
  Lise, who is quite sensible, recalls the time she was paired with the blue-haired knight, who was like a troublesome younger brother, to destroy a Spirit Gate in the Great Forest. She denies her own idea, but it’s not entirely off the mark.
  
  The method used by Fau Zaumel, also known as the White Fox, was to plant undeveloped small magic crystals in a plaza where the earth’s veins converged and secretly grow them over a year. The presence of the gate was then indicated by a scout on horseback who had arrived at a gallop.